COLLEGE MEN'S
HOCKEY FINAL SCORE
UMass Boston 2, Tufts 1
At Malden, MA
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Game
Box Score
MALDEN -- Junior Matt Atsoff (Macomb, MI) scored with 20 seconds
left in the third period to give visiting UMass Boston a dramatic
2-1 victory over host Tufts in NESCAC/ECAC East men's hockey action
on Saturday night at Valley Forum II.
Atsoff's game-winner capped a thrilling third period, which the
Beacons had entered with a 1-0 lead. Just 1:15 into the third,
Tufts tied the score at 1-1 on junior Mike Vitale's
(Brookfield, IL) second goal in as many nights. He jammed
in a pass from junior Zach Diaco (Rumson, NJ) at
the right post. The teams then went back-and-forth in exciting
action, combining for 37 shots in the period.
Tufts was awarded a penalty shot at 9:41 of the third when
junior tri-captain Dylan Cooper (Colorado Springs,
CO) was dragged down from behind on a break-in. On the
penalty shot, Cooper made move to his left, but Beacons sophomore
goalie Kevin Bendel (Denville, NJ) stayed with him and saved the
shot to keep the game tied. Shortly after that, UMass Boston's
Vinnie Jacona (East Stroudsburg, PA) controlled a bouncing puck at
the blue line and broke in alone on the Tufts goal, but Jumbo
sophomore Scott Barchard (Reading, MA) made the
save.
The game seemed destined for overtime following those two stops,
but Atsoff scored his sixth of the season with assists from junior
Eric Tufman (Abington, PA) and senior Kris Kranzky (Glendora, CA).
The win stopped a two-game losing streak for UMass Boston (6-4-1,
3-3-1 ECAC East), and it ended a six-game winning streak for Tufts
(6-3-1, 4-2-1 NESCAC).
The Beacons had the better of play in the first period and
grabbed a 1-0 lead on Jacona's fourth goal of the year at 6:47. He
was wide open in front of the net and converted passes from
sophomore Bryan Albert (Redlands, CA) and freshman Michael Crowder
(Flint, MI). A scoreless second period followed, with both Barchard
and Bendel making 11 saves.
UMass Boston finished with a 42-36 advantage in shots. Bendel
made 35 saves for his second victory of the year. Barchard stopped
40 shots in the Tufts net.
The Jumbos next play a non-league contest at Johnson & Wales
on Tuesday night (Jan. 12). UMass Boston hosts Castleton in an ECAC
East game next Friday night (Jan. 15).
#
